Method and apparatus for sharpening skates

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for sharpening skates in which one skate of a pair is used as a guide for sharpening the other skate and the sharpened skate is then used as a guide for sharpening the unsharpened skate. All types of skates may be sharpened.

United States Patent 1 91 u 11 3,839,828

Arnold 1 Oct. 8, 1974 [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR 2,383,008 7 8/1945 Meister 51/216 R SHARPENING SKATES 2,841,930 7/1958 Horst 51/220 X [76] Inventor: Robert J. Arnold, 3905 Holly Rue, FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS Erie, Pa. 16506 608,207 9/1948 Great Britain 51/100 R [22] Filed: eb. 21, 1973 899,499 5/1945 France 51/100 R [21] Appl. No.: 334,238 Primary Examiner-Othel1 M. Simpson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ra1ph Hammar 52 us. c1 51/100 R 51 1m. 01 B24b 17/00, B24b 9/00, B24b 7/00 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 51/100 R, 127, 228, 220, A method and apparatus for sharpening skates in 51/216 R; 76/83 which one skate of a pair is used as a guide for sharpening the other skate and the sharpened skate is then [56] References Cited used as a guide-for sharpening the unsharpened skate. I

UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 All types ofskates may sharpened.

2,381,458 8/1945 Meister 51/216 R 3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SHARPENING SKATES This invention is a method and apparatus for sharpening a pair of skates to matched contours in which one of the pair of skates is used as a guide for the grinding wheel which sharpens the other skate and the process is then repeated for the unsharpened skate. This produces precision grinding of all types of skates.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a machine for sharpening a pair of skates, FIG. 2 is an end view of the machine, FIG. 3 is a section on line 33 of FIG. a, FIG. 4 is a section on line 44 of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is an elevation of one of the pins for aligning the skates on the machine, FIG. 5a is a side elevation of the carriage, FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic side view showing one of the skates aligned on its holder, FIG. 7 is a section on line 77 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

In a preferred form, the machine has a longitudinally extending base 1, front and rear laterally extending supports 2, 3, and a longitudinal track or guide 4. The base and track are suitably fixed together and the laterally extending parts 2, 3 are clamped between the base and track. The base and the parts fixed thereto are supported, for example, on the upper end of a pedestal 5a.

On upper sides of the laterally extending parts 2, 3 are fixed channels 5, 6, each parallel to and equally spaced from the adjacent edge of the guide. The channels serve as supports for a pair of skates to be sharpened, channel 5 serving as a support for skate 7 and channel 6 serving as a support for skate 8. The skates 7 and 8 are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the center line of the base with corresponding parts of the skating edges opposite each other. For this purpose, adjustable stops are provided at the front ends of the channels 5, 6. Each stop consists of a block 10 fixed in its channel and a movable block 11 fixed to the associated block 10 by means of a clamping screw 12 screwed into the fixed block 10. The adjacent faces of the blocks 10 and 11 are provided with serrated teeth 13 which provide positive location of the blocks and each adjustable block 11 is provided with an elongated slot 14 receiving the clamping screw. The blocks 10, 11 provide stops for the front ends of the skates 7, 8 which are easily adjusted to locate the front ends of the skate directly opposite each other.

The skates are clamped or gripped by front and rear horseshoe magnets 15, 16, each secured to its channel, as shown in FIG. 4, by a clamping screw 17 extending through a longitudinal slot 18 in the channel. The slot 18 permits longitudinal adjustment of the magnets so that the front magnets may be located opposite the front stanchions 19 of the skate and the rear magnets 16 may be located opposite the rear stanchions 20 of the skate. The magnets l5, 16 provide a positive grip for the skates which is easily released.

The inner edges of the skates (the edges opposite the skating edges) rest on eccentric front and rear adjusting pins 21, 22. Each of the pins, as shown in FIG. 5, has a head 23 for turning the pin, a cylindrical body 24 which engages the inner edge of the skate and an eccentric 25 which effects vertical movement of the skate as the adjusting pin is rotated. The eccentric section 25 of the front adjusting pins 21 are journaled in the fixed blocks 10 at the front ends of the channels. The eccentric section of the rear adjusting pins 22 are journaled in similar fixed blocks 26 at the rear ends of the channels 5, 6. The adjusting effect of the pins 21, 22 is diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. By rotating the front adjusting pin 21 about the center 27 of its eccentric 25, the front end of the skating edge may be moved between the range indicated by dotted lines 28. Similarly, by rotating the rear adjusting pin 22 about the center of its eccentric 25 indicated at 29, the rear edge of the skate may be moved between the range indicated by dotted lines 30. The purpose of these adjustments is indicated in FIG. 7. As there shown, a T- square 31 has a head 32 with its right hand end resting on the skating edge of skate 8 and its left hand end spaced from the skating edge of skate 7. The stem 33' of the T is guided in a vertical groove 34 in a block 35 fixed to the upper surface of a carriage 36 guided on the guideway 4. In the position shown in FIG. 7, a clamping screw 37 has been released, allowing the head 32 of the T to drop onto the skating edges of skates 7 and 8. In order to bring the opposite points of the skating edges of skates 7 and 8 into alignment in a common plane, it is necessary either to raise the skate 7 or to lower the skate 8 either of which operations may be performed by suitable turning of the rear adjusting screws 22. When the head 32 of the T rests on both skating edges, the adjusting screws 22 are locked in position by suitable set screws so that vibration cannot disturb the adjustment. By moving the carriage 36 to the front end of the skates 7, 8 and repeating the adjustment with the adjusting pins 21, it will be found that the head 32 of the T-square will thereafter ride uniformly on the skating edges of skates 7 and 8 as the carriage 36 is moved along the length of the skates. Except when used for adjustment purposes, the T-square 31 is held above the skating edges by the clamping screw 37 so that it is. out of the way and does not interfere with the sharpening operations. In addition to holding the T-square, the block 35 serves as a convenient handle for-moving the carriage.

The skates are sharpened by a grinder which may consist of a commercially available unit having an electric motor 38, arbor 39, belt drive 40, and belt guard 41 mounted on a base 42. The base is bolted to a plate 43 by bolt 44 and is guided between parallel blocks 45, 46 fixed to the plate. The blocks 45, 46 hold the axis of the arbor 39 parallel to the skating edge 7. In order to bring the arbor 39 into exact alignment with the center line of the skating edge of skate 7, an adjusting screw 47 mounted in a block 48 fixed to the plate 43 is provided. Upon loosening the bolt 44, turning of the adjusting screw (through a mechanical connection not shown) moves the base 42 of the grinding unit laterally or at right angles to the axis of the arbor 39. This permits the arbor 39 to be brought into exact alignment with the center line of the skating edge of skate 7. After alignment has been obtained, the bolt 44 is tightened to lock the grinding unit in the aligned position. This adjustment permits accurate sharpening of skates having skating edges of different thicknesses.

Vertical movement of the grinding unit is obtained by a hinge connection 49 (FIG. 5a) between the rear edge 50 of the carriage 36 and the rear edge 51 of the plate 43. The hinge 49 is shown as a strip of flexible metal extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the machine and having opposite edges fixed respectively to the carriage 36 and the plate 43. Other hinges could obviously be used.

Vertical adjustment of the grinder with respect to the skating edge of skate 7 is required whenever the diameter of the grinding wheel 52 is changed. Adjustment is also required for the depth of cut and to permit the grinding wheel to follow the contour of the edge of the skate. All of these adjustments are effected as shown in FIG. 8 by a lever 53 having one end pivoted at 54 on the block 46 and having a guide roller 55 journaled in its opposite end 56. An adjusting screw 57 screwed into the plate 54 and having a head 58 extending over the upper edge of the lever 53 transmits force from the guide roller 55 to the plate 43 on which the grinder is mounted. A locking lever or nut 57a releasably holds the screw 57 in adjusted position. By turning the adjusting screw 57, the grinding wheel 52 can be raised and lowered to bring the grinding wheel into the desired contact with the skating edge of skate 7. Since the guide roller 55 rests on the skating edge of skate 8, the grinding wheel 52 is compelled to assume a corresponding position with respect to the edge of skate 7. As the carriage 36 is moved fore and aft, the roller 55 moves fore and aft along skate 8 and the grinding wheel 52 moves fore and aft along skate 7, tracing with respect to skate 7 the outline of the skating edge of skate 8. Since the purpose is to sharpen, the adjusting screw 58 will ordinarily be adjusted so that the grinding wheel 52 makes very light contact with the skate 7. Skates are manufactured in pairs and as manufactured have skating edges of matched contours. By the use of this machine the matched contours are maintained throughout the life of the skates.

In the use of the machine, the front stops 11 are adjusted in accordance with the length of the skates to be sharpened. The pair of skates is then mounted on the eccentric pins 21, 22 with one of the skates being in the position of skate 8 and the other in the position of skate 7 as shown in FIG. 1. It is not necessary to remove the shoes from the skates. After mounting, the alignment of the skates is checked at the front and rear ends by the T-square 31. Any misalignment is corrected by rotation of the eccentric pins 21, 22. Once'aligned, opposite points on the skating edges of skates 7 and 8 lie in a common plane. If necessary, the center line of the arbor 39 is adjusted into alignment with the center line of the edge of skate 7 by means of adjusting screw 47. During this interval, the guide roller 55 has been supported on a stationary ramp 59 suitably fixed to the channel 6. The carriage is now brought forward, bringing the guide roller 55 into contact with the skating edge of skate 8 and by means of adjusting screw 57 the grinding wheel 52 is adjusted to make very light contact with the skating edge of skate 7. The machine is now adjusted for starting the sharpening operation during which the carriage 36 is reciprocated longitudinally the full length of the skates. When sharpening figure skates, stop 60 on the track 4 limits the forward travel to prevent damage of the points 61 of the skate 7. After the first traverse of the length of the skates, the edge of the skate 7 may be checked visually or by a gauge to determine the accuracy of alignment of the arbor 39 with the centerline of the skate edge. The sharpening operation is repeated by successive adjustments of the adjusting screw 57 to incrementally lower the grinding wheel 52 until the desired sharpness has been obtained. The skates are then interchanged with the sharpened skate occupying the position of skate 8 and the sharpening operations repeated. At the end of the sharpening operations, the skates will both be sharpened to the same contour.

What is claimed is:

1. An ice skate sharpener comprising first and second members guided for linear reciprocation relative to each other, means for holding a pair of skates in fixed relation to each other on one of the members with the skating edges oriented lengthwise in said direction of reciprocation, said holding means for at least one of said skates having independently adjustable front and rear supporting means engaging the edge of said one skate opposite its skating edge so that by adjustment of said supporting means the position of the skating edge of said one skate may be matched to the position of the skating edge of the other skate, means on the other member for carrying a follower riding on the skating edge of one of the skates and a grinding wheel supported on an arbor rotatable on an axis in alignment with the skating edge of the other skate, means for mounting the holding and carrying means for relative movement toward and away from the skating edges for positioning the follower on'its skating edge and for positioning the grinding wheel in a corresponding position with respect to its skating edge so that upon relative reciprocation of said members, the follower traces the outline of its skating edge and the grinding wheel dupli-v cates the outline of the followers skating edge, and means for adjusting the relative positions of the follower and grinding wheel to adjust the depth of cut taken by the grinding wheel on its edge.

2. The sharpener of claim 1 in which at least one of 4 said skates is supported by two eccentric pins respecskate. 

1. An ice skate sharpener comprising first and second members guided for linear reciprocation relative to each other, means for holding a pair of skates in fixed relation to each other on one of the members with the skating edges oriented lengthwise in said direction of reciprocation, said holding means for at least one of said skates having independently adjustable front and rear supporting means engaginG the edge of said one skate opposite its skating edge so that by adjustment of said supporting means the position of the skating edge of said one skate may be matched to the position of the skating edge of the other skate, means on the other member for carrying a follower riding on the skating edge of one of the skates and a grinding wheel supported on an arbor rotatable on an axis in alignment with the skating edge of the other skate, means for mounting the holding and carrying means for relative movement toward and away from the skating edges for positioning the follower on its skating edge and for positioning the grinding wheel in a corresponding position with respect to its skating edge so that upon relative reciprocation of said members, the follower traces the outline of its skating edge and the grinding wheel duplicates the outline of the follower''s skating edge, and means for adjusting the relative positions of the follower and grinding wheel to adjust the depth of cut taken by the grinding wheel on its edge.
 2. The sharpener of claim 1 in which at least one of said skates is supported by two eccentric pins respectively at the front and rear ends of the skate.
 3. The sharpener of claim 1 in which the holding means for said one skate has magnets for gripping the skate. 